Year 1491 (MCDXCVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events of 1491 February 20 — The "Comet of 1491" comes away from earth, the closest ever recorded. May 3 — Kongo monarch Nkuwu Nzinga's baptised by Portuguese missionaries, adopting the baptismal name of João I. November 16 — An auto de fe, held in Brasero de la Dehesa outside of Ávila, concludes the case of the Holy Child of La Guardia with the… (More on 1491)